in words addressed to Jews, we may word "faithful" is still more closely doubt if any other language would connected with the following words. have been equally expressive. For If through the power of sympathy as to the means, it was by becoming which the Saviour has gained a child of Abraham that the Saviour "by sufferings' He becomes "took hold of" our race to raise it" compassionate up; and as to the purpose, St. Paul teaches us that "the seed of Abraham" includes all who inherit Abraham's faith.

(17) Wherefore. Since it is "the seed of Abraham," His brethren, that He would help.

In all things.-These words must be taken with "made like." In all respects (the single exception does not come into notice here, see chap. iv. 15) He must be made like to "the brethren " (a reference to verse 12): like them, He must be liable to, and must suffer, temptation, sorrow, pain, death.

as our High Priest, it is through "the suffering of death" (verse 9) that He proves Himself "the faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation (or rather, propitiation) for the sins of the people." The word "high priest,” hereafter to be so prominent in the Epistle, is brought in somewhat suddenly, but several expressions in this chapter (see also chap. i. 3) have prepared for and led up to the crowning thought here brought before us. The characteristic function of the high priest was his presentation of the sacrifice on the Day of Atonement, that expiation might be made for the sins of the whole people, that the displeasure of God might not rest on the nation on account of sin. (Comp. verse 11.) The words rendered "propitiate" and "propitiation are not of frequent occurrence in the New Testament (Luke xviii. 13; 1 John ii. 2; iv. 10-see also Rom. iii. 25), but are very often found in the LXX. The subject receives its full treatment in chaps. ix. and x.

That he might be.-Rather, that He might prove or become (the words imply what is more fully expressed in chap. v. 8), a compassionate and faithful High Priest. The high priest was the representative of men to God; without such likeness (see chap. v. 1, 2) He could be no true High Priest for man. The order of the Greek words throws an emphasis on 66 compassionate" which is in full harmony with what we have seen to be the pervading tone of the chapter. One who has not so (18) For.-The necessity of being understood the infirmities of his "in all things made like to His brethren as to be "compassionate," brethren" has been shown from cannot be their "faithful" repre- the nature of the case; it is now sentative before God. But the illustrated from the result.

The

"brethren" and the "people" of verse 17 are here "the tempted." Through the temptations arose those sins of the people for which He makes propitiation. In His having been tempted lies His special ability to help the tempted, by His sympathy, by His knowledge of the help that is needed, by the position of High Priest which He has gained through suffering. It is difficult to decide between two translations of the first words of the verse: (1) "In that He Himself," (2) "Wherein He Himself hath suffered being tempted." The former is simpler, but, perhaps, less natural as a rendering of the Greek. The latter may indeed at first seem to set a bound to our Lord's ability to help, but with the recollection of the infinitude of His life (comp. John xxi. 25) all such limitation disappears.

III.

Priest.

CHAPTER III. (1) Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of of the

the contents of the second chapter are gathered up in this verse, almost every word of which recalls some previous statement or result.

Holy brethren.- United in one brotherhood in virtue of a common sonship (chap. ii. 10) and of a common brotherhood (chap. ii. 11) with Jesus, Him " that sanctifieth" (chap ii. 11).

Partakers. Through Him who "took part" of our earthly nature (chap. ii. 14) we are partakers of a "heavenly calling" (chap. ii. 10) as God's sons.

The Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus.-The best MSS. omit "Christ"; and it is impossible not to feel how fitly the personal name "Jesus" is used after the later verses of chap. ii. Here only is the name Apostle directly given to our Lord; but the thought is present in chap. ii. 3, and in the many passages in which Jesus (iii. 1—iv. 13) Having, therefore, this designates Himself as the sent of High Priest over the house of God God, using the word from which -a faithful Son exalted above Apostle is derived (John iii. 17; v. Moses the faithful servant-let us 36 et al.; especially John xvii. 18; by faithfulness make sure our call-xx. 21). There is very little difing to be God's sons; that we may not, like those who through their disobedience in the wilderness provoked the Lord, be excluded from the promised rest.

ference between Apostle and Prophet, thus applied; but the one brings into relief the mission, the other the office and position. Each presents a thought complementary of that contained in high priest: 66 as (1) Wherefore. -The address Apostle Jesus pleads the cause of which here begins (the first direct God with us; as High Priest He address in the Epistle) bears the pleads our cause with God" (Bensame relation to all that has pre-gel). The next verse renders it ceded, as chap. ii. 1-4 bears to probable that the two terms contain the first chapter. In particular, a reference to the special mission

Our Apostle

heavenly calling,

HEBREWS, III.

Apostle

6.

and High Priest

consider 1 Gr mide, 1 pointed' him, as also Moses Sam. 12. the was faithful in all his house. (3) For this man counted worthy of

Chap. iii. 1-6.
Consider our and
High Priest, who,

as

High

the faithful Priest of our

Son over God's profession,

house, is exalted

above Moses, the Christ Jesus;

servant.

(2) who

was

faithful to him that ap

of Moses and the priesthood of Aaron; our Christian confession looks to One mediator.

(2) Who was.-Rather, as being; or that He was, Not merely, fix your thought on Jesus; but also (and especially), think of Him as faithful to God (chap. ii. 17),

Appointed him.-Literally, made Him, an expression which some ancient (Ambrose and other Latin fathers, apparently also Athanasius) and many modern writers have understood as relating to the creation of the human nature of our Lord. It is probable, however, that 1 Sam. xii. 6 is in the writer's mind. "It is the Lord that made Moses and Aaron, and that brought your fathers up out of the land of Egypt." As there Samuel speaks of the raising up of Moses and Aaron, constituted by God deliverers of the people; so here our thought must rest on Him who constituted Jesus "Apostle and High Priest."

was

more glory than Moses, inasmuch as he who hath builded the house hath more honour than the

The "house" or household is God's people Israel. To others will God reveal Himself in various ways in regard to the many parts of the house, the many concerns of the household. Throughout the whole house Moses was the recipient of the divine commands, and was faithful-" faithful" (as one of the Targums paraphrases), "as chief of the chiefs of my court."

(3) For this man was counted.-Rather, For He hath been accounted, by God, who hath crowned Him with glory and honour (chap. ii. 9). In this reward lies contained the proof that He was faithful, This is probably the connection of thought; others join this verse with the first: "Consider Him. . . for He hath received higher glory than Moses."

Inasmuch as. That is, in proportion as the glory attained by Jesus exceeds the glory of Moses, as the honour due to the builder of the house exceeds that possessed by the house itself. It is not said that Jesus is the Builder; but the relation in which He stands to the Builder of the house is compared with that of Moses to the house. (See verses 5, 6.) "Builded" is not a happy word here (especially if we consider the sense in which "house" is used), but it is not easy him will I speak mouth to mouth." | to find a suitable rendering.

As also Moses. These words, which give the key to the following verses, are quoted from Num. xii. 7, where Moses is placed in contrast with prophets in Israel to whom the Lord will make Himself known by vision or dream. "My servant Moses is not so, who is faithful in all mine house. With

The

time) is in this Epistle never a mere name: it contains implicitly the thought that all that to which Moses bore witness has reached its fulfilment now. Christ has come : God's house, formerly typified by Israel, is now manifested as it really is, containing all "sons" whom God leads to glory (chap. ii. 10). The terms applied by constant usage to the one nation are thus successively enlarged: the "seed of Abraham" (chap. ii. 16), "the people" (chap. ii. 17), the "house of God" (see chap. x. 21).

against

ing of the hope firm unto

the end.

(7) Wherefore (as the

the confident, bold feelings and demeanour which connect themselves with the free utterance of thought.

(7) Wherefore. Since without steadfastness all will be lost. With the words introducing the quotation compare chaps. ix. 8; x. 15.

Whether the marks of parenthesis here introduced in our ordinary Bibles (not inserted by the translators of 1611) express the true connection of the verses is a question very hard to decide, and one that does not admit of full dis

that the writer (like St. Paul in Rom. xv. 3, 21; 1 Cor. i. 31) may have merged his own exhortation in that which the quotation supplies (verse 8); and the objection that verse 12 would naturally in that case have been introduced by some connective word is shown to be groundless by such passages as chaps. viii. 13; x. 23; xii. 7, 25. On the other hand, if we connect "Wherefore," in this verse, with

If we hold fast the confidence.-Better, If we hold the bold-cussion here. It is very possible ness and the glorying of our hope firm unto the end. Faithful to his practical purpose, the writer adds to the words, "whose house are we," the indispensable condition. The "house" exists ("are we "), to it belong all who possess the Christian "hope;" but for assured and final appropriation of the promise there must be steadfastness "unto the end." This exhortation differs from that in chap. ii. 1—4, in that it more distinctly im-" Take heed" in verse 12, we have plies that those who are addressed greater regularity of structure-a have a possession which they may strong argument in this Epistle. lose. The Christian "hope," that It seems unlikely, moreover, that aspect of faith which is turned the writer (whose tenderness of towards the future, is naturally tone and sympathy are so manifest often in the writer's thoughts. in his words of warning) would at The words associated are very this stage adopt as his own the striking hope gives us boldness stringent and general exhortation, (see Cor. iii. 12), and of this hope "harden not your hearts: the we make our boast. "Boldness" spirit of verse 12 ("lest haply is spoken of again (in chaps. iv. there shall be in any one of you") 16; x. 19, 35): properly meaning is altogether different. On the "freedom of speech," it denotes whole, therefore, it seems best to